ICT Innovation for Buyer-Seller Relationships in International Supply Chains

This study focuses on the adoption of ICT innovation for international supply chains managed by large retailers. Three areas of innovation have been analyzed. The first is related to information and communication technology (ICT), the second to the joint management of supplying activities, and the third to collaboration on marketing issues, included end-customer analysis and joint marketing policies. An empirical research on a sample of 70 firms in the food sector was conducted adopting a suppliers’ perspective. Results revealed a connection between the size of suppliers and the size of customers, on one side, and the adoption of ICT innovation for vertical relationships, on the other side.